My name is Kobayashi and I am an apprentice umbrella maker.
This is my first time on this blog so let me introduce myself a bit.
I have a husband and two children (one in junior high school and one soon to be in elementary school).
Before I started my training as an umbrella maker, I worked for over ten years in the IT industry, an industry completely different from artisanal work.
After many twists and turns (?), he decided to become an umbrella maker.
If I told myself three years ago, "You'll quit your job in three years and train to be an umbrella maker,"
I think it was such an unexpected and bold decision that people would probably laugh at me and say, "No way!"
Wow, life is strange.
I will tell you more about how I decided to become an umbrella maker at a later date.
Today we'll talk about wooden molds.
Working steadily on holidays,
Making my own wooden mold
Umbrellas are made by cutting fabric into isosceles triangular pieces called "pieces."
Two sides of the bridge are smoothly curved to create a soft, three-dimensional roundness and the “valley drop ” and “ kuri ” between the bones.
By adjusting the curves down to the millimeter, the craftsman is able to control the shape of the umbrella.
In order to cut these curved pieces evenly, each craftsman needs a handmade wooden mold.
Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that wooden molds are the most important part of making an umbrella.
* The valley drop refers to the depression between the bones. * The chestnut refers to the curve at the bottom of the top.
Since learning how to make these wooden molds from my master, I have been working on them steadily during my days off between training.
The key is to choose a board that is curved.
If you use it to lay curved material face down, you can hold the top and bottom of the fabric firmly when cutting, making it less likely to slip.
When I went to a home improvement store and took these boards to the register, the cashier asked me, "They're all pretty bent. Are you sure these are okay?"
That's right. That's what you think, isn't it?
"It's fine. It's on purpose."
Anyone could tell it was curved. Hmmm. I'm satisfied.
An umbrella requires one link for each rib.
If the umbrella has eight ribs, you will cut eight frames.
The more bones there are, the sharper the tip of the mold will be.
The tip is created by cutting the board to match the angle created with a saw, and then gluing the planed cut surface together.
At first, I had a hard time lining up the cross sections neatly, but gradually I think I'm getting the hang of it.
Left: Before (there is a gap) Right: After (it now adheres nicely)
I quite like DIY and have tried making various things in the past, but I have always used the cutting services at home improvement stores to cut boards, so it has been since I was in high school that I last held a saw.
This is my first time planing something!
The muscle pain that lasts for several days from the next day is terrible!!
But when I see the completed wooden model, I feel like I'm making progress one step at a time, which makes me happy.
The master's special wooden molds create umbrellas with beautiful silhouettes
And these are Master Sugasawa's wooden molds.
Not only the quantity, but also the colors!
The depth of color is the depth of experience.
I want to get closer to this color soon.
The umbrellas with beautiful silhouettes created by Master Sugasawa, such as the Miratore 70cm, 8 ribs, are born from this wooden mold.
It is very difficult to stretch a sturdy fabric like Miratore beautifully, but the umbrellas made by my master, who has been making countless wooden patterns for many years, are beautifully stretched and open and close smoothly. They are very pleasant to use.
We also trace our master's wooden molds and inherit the curves of those molds.
We would like to cherish the curves that create a beautiful silhouette as a tradition of Komiya Shoten.
Please take the time to pick up and take a look at the umbrellas set up by Master Sugasawa.
You can see them at Komiya Shoten and Higashi Nihonbashi Shop .
Miratore 70cm 8-rib <br>This is a functional umbrella series that uses Toray's super water-repellent fabric "Miratore" for outstanding water repellency. The 70cm 8-rib umbrella is a light and large men's size umbrella with carbon ribs and center rod. Combined with the natural and luxurious Ego handle, this stylish long umbrella is large but lightweight and has a slim silhouette.
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